Users of portable electronic devices, such as cell phones, recorders, instruments, MP3 players, PDA's, and computers, often desire to provide the devices with a removable case to cover portions of the device. The case provides added protection to the device to prevent surface damage to the housing or enclosure of the device, as well as providing impact protection. The cases can also include a clip or an attachment post for a clip, to allow the user to secure the case and phone to an object, such as a belt. The case may also give the user a more secure grip or improved tactile experience when compare to the housing or enclosure of the device. The case may also provide ornamentation to the device and carry indicia, advertising, or graphic material.
The cases can be made of many different types of material, such as hard or soft plastics, rubber, leather, cloth, metal, and silicone. Cases of the prior art include two piece cases that snap together to encase the device, two piece cases that snap onto different portions of the device, as well as single piece cases that form a pouch or pocket into which the device is inserted. The single piece prior art designs work well for devices that have a fixed outer geometry or dimension, such as a “candy bar” cellular phone. The single piece prior art cases do not work for devices that have a variable outer geometry, such as the slider cell phones that have recently become popular.
The slider cell phone includes two housing portions that are slidably connected to one another. In a first configuration, the housing is in its most compact dimension, and generally looks like a “candy bar” style phone. In a second configuration less compact than the first, a first portion of the housing slides along the second portion of the housing to reveal additional controls or displays. Typically the first portion of the housing containing the display and limited controls, slides to revel a keyboard on the second portion of the housing. The sliding of the first portion allows the keyboard to be selectively covered or exposed. Because the sliding relationship changes the outer dimensions of the phone, the cases of the prior art do not readily adapt to this new style of phone.
Although there are existing two piece cases that include portions that snap onto each portion of the device housing, such cases are not optimal. The close tolerances between the sliding portions of the enclosure do not always allow for an edge or other attachment area for securing the case on the two portions of the enclosure. Additionally, snap on cases, or faceplates, are easily dislodged when the user acts to slide the sliding portion of the phone. If the material for the case in non-rigid, such as silicone, leather, or other flexible sheet materials, edges of the enclosure will not provide a sufficient attachment area, even if the tolerances between the housing portions are wide. For soft cases, it is preferable that the case wrap around both portions of the housing of the device to better secure the soft case to the device.